Obesity is one of the main risk factors for the development of type 2 diabetes, increasing the risk by up to six times. Excess body fat, especially abdominal fat, causes insulin resistance, forcing the pancreas to work harder, which may eventually lead to pancreatic exhaustion and elevated blood glucose levels.
Diabetes and obesity represent a global and European public health crisis, often referred to as a joint “epidemic” (or diabesity), with projections indicating continued increases through 2030–2035.
Below are the key global and European data, with a focus on Portugal:
🌍 Diabetes and Obesity Worldwide (Projections and Statistics)
Diabetes: Around 10.5% to 11.1% of the world’s adult population (ages 20–79) lives with diabetes. Projections indicate that 1 in 8 adults (853 million people) will be living with the disease by 2050.
Obesity: In 2022, 16% of adults (18+ years) worldwide were obese — a figure that has more than doubled since 1990.
Projection 2030/2035: More than half of the global population may be overweight or obese by 2035. The number of adults with obesity is expected to increase by more than 115% between 2010 and 2030 (rising from 524 million to 1.13 billion).
Impact: More than 3.4 million people died from diabetes in 2024, representing 9.3% of global deaths.
🇪🇺 Diabetes and Obesity in Europe
Excess Weight: Nearly 60% of adults in the WHO European Region live with overweight or obesity.
Diabetes in Europe: It is estimated that more than 64 million adults live with diabetes in Europe. Prevalence is around 9%, with Spain and Portugal ranking among the highest.
Children: Approximately 8% of children in Europe live with obesity.
Trend: No WHO European member state is currently on track to halt the rise in obesity by 2025.
Projection 2045: By 2045, 1 in 10 Europeans may have diabetes.
🇵🇹 Diabetes and Obesity in Portugal
Portugal presents concerning figures and ranks among the countries with the highest prevalence in Europe.
Diabetes Prevalence: Around 14% of the population aged 20–79 (approximately 1.1 million people), which is above the European average (9%).
Diabetes Trends: The number of diagnosed diabetics has doubled over the past 20 years.
Obesity in Portugal: More than half of the adult population (over 4.6 million people) is overweight (36.6%) or obese (16.9%), according to 2019 baseline data. Some recent estimates suggest that obesity may already affect around 22% of the population.
Main Factors and Actions
Causes: Sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet (high consumption of processed and sugary products), and socioeconomic factors.
Consequences: Increased cardiovascular disease, cancer, and rising healthcare costs.
Responses: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Obesity Atlas recommend food labeling policies, taxation of unhealthy products, and increased investment in obesity treatment.
Losing 7% of body weight can reduce diabetes risk by more than 50%.
Note: The data cited come from reports by the World Obesity Federation, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), and the World Health Organization (WHO), updated between 2022 and 2025.
Relationship Between Diabetes and Obesity
• Insulin Resistance: Obesity interferes with insulin action, the hormone that regulates blood glucose.
• Visceral Fat: Accumulation of abdominal fat is a significant risk factor, particularly if waist circumference exceeds 100 cm.
• Mechanism: Excess fat generates inflammation that makes cells resistant to insulin. Over time, the pancreas fails to produce sufficient insulin, resulting in diabetes.
• Impact: About 8 out of 10 obese individuals develop type 2 diabetes.
Prevention and Control
• Weight Loss: Weight reduction is the most important factor in preventing or managing the disease.
• Lifestyle: Dietary changes (reducing sugars and refined carbohydrates) and increasing physical activity are essential.
• Medication: In some cases, medications such as metformin may be used to reduce the risk of progression.
Obesity treatment and weight management are fundamental for diabetes control. In many cases, weight loss alone may be sufficient to achieve proper glycemic control.
THE MEDICAL SPOT
A clinical check-up can help identify prediabetes or obesity — shall we schedule yours?
• We can book your specific laboratory tests.
• Having difficulty maintaining regular physical activity? Let’s talk.
• Diet is crucial for weight control – shall we plan it together?
• Coaching in Optimal Body Weight for Health and Longevity
